If you’ve ever finished a beloved manga series, then chances are you’re familiar with searching for the next title to fill the empty slot on your reading list. There’s no shortage of great manga out there, but with such a wide range of genres, themes, and writing styles, finding something similar to your favorite series can be a challenge. For many manga and anime fans, the end of Jujutsu Kaisen, one of the most popular series of the last decade and part of Shonen Jump’s Dark Trio, has created this exact issue.
Jujutsu Kaisen, praised for its gritty, realistic themes and handling of serious story arcs, has left a hole behind in the manga community ever since the last chapter was released in 2024. And while many fans are still caught up in waiting for the newest season to release or watching the series latest theatrical release, quite a few have been debating what series will take the place as the next big thing in the community. So, if you’re searching for a new series to start that is reminiscent of Jujutsu Kaisen’s plot and tone, I suggest checking out some of these manga series listed below, a few of which are already on the rise in popularity and recognition.
10) Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku
Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku is a bit of a cheat to add to this list, seeing as it’s also part of Shonen Jump’s Dark Trio and has a decently sized fan base. The manga also has its own anime adaptation, with a second season set to debut in 2026. Despite its popularity, I still feel the need to point more attention towards Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku; it hasn’t received nearly enough attention for how good the manga is, or how it arguably is the most cohesive story among the Dark Trio. The manga finished back in 2021 and has a total of 127 chapters, making for a relatively short read.
Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku focuses on Gabimaru the Hollow, an infamous shinobi sentenced to death for his crimes. Before the execution can be carried out, Gabimaru is made an offer: travel to the legendary island, Shinsenkyo, and search for the Elixir of Life in order to gain a pardon and return home to his wife. The series handles topics such as redemption, the balance of life, the relationship between life and death, and the nature of power. Not to mention, the series has some of the most beautiful art offered in recent shonen series, making it a visually appealing read, too.
9) Gokurakugai
Gokurakugai is a newer manga series that was first serialized in 2022, with the official English translation released back in 2024. The manga currently has 29 chapters, and is ongoing with a new chapter scheduled to release sometime in October 2025. In a sea of new series, Gokurakugai stands out because of its vivid, detailed art style and trendy character designs. It makes use of creating a unique supernatural world that blends with fast-paced action sequences and slick, dynamic characters who are refreshingly fun to follow.
The plot of this manga is set in the fictional district of Gokurakugai, the series’ namesake, a place where humans live alongside animalist beastmen. Tao and Alma are a pair of “troubleshooters”, dubbed as such for dealing with the problems of paying clients. While working, the duo discovers a darker underbelly to the city, concerning deadly monster-hybrids called Disaster Beats that are threatening the population of Gokurakugai. This manga series deals with themes like complex morality, self-discovery, the dual nature of light and dark, and the importance of relying on others. Hop on the train before this series blows up, because it’s going to happen soon.
8) Dandadan
Dandadan is a series that continues to grow in popularity, first premiering in 2021 on the Shonen Jump website. Since then, the manga has amassed over 200 chapters, or about 20 volumes (the Japanese print at least, as the English translation is further behind). The manga has also been adapted to an anime series that helped capture fan attention, with a second season having debuted in 2025. Audiences are drawn to Dandadan for its genre-blending plot, taking elements from horror, supernatural, sci-fi, and even comedy. There’s also a strong focus on character development and relationships, which is always a plus in shonen manga where battles and training arcs can sometimes take center stage.
The storyline of Dandadan follows high-school students Momo and Okarun, both with strange beliefs in the supernatural. Momo thinks ghosts and spirits are real, while Okarun is convinced that the existence of aliens is an irrefutable fact; together, the duo decides to challenge each other to prove whether or not their beliefs hold any merit. This results in Okarun being cursed by a powerful spirit, while Momo is abducted by aliens, which awakens buried psychic abilities in her. Together, the two must learn more about their new powers while fighting off supernatural threats. The series explores themes such as friendship, the power of real connection, self-discovery, and facing the unknown.
7) Gachiakuta
Gachiakuta is a manga series that first debuted in Weekly Shonen Magazine back in 2022. As of this year, the series has just over 147 chapters and has also had an anime adaptation released in July 2025. The series can be classified as a dark fantasy manga with elements of action and dystopian fiction. It’s already attracted plenty of fans who praise the manga for its art style that easily stands out among other contemporary pieces, using graffiti-like aspects and a grungy aesthetic to properly evoke setting and tone.
In Gachiakuta, we follow the story of Rudo, born in the slums of a utopian floating city that houses the wealthy and prestigious. Beneath the city is an endless chasm dubbed the Abyss, a place filled with garbage, discarded belongings, and monstrous beings. Rudo finds himself exiled to the depths of the Abyss after he’s framed for the murder of his stepfather, cast out from the floating city, and forced to survive in the new, harsh conditions he’s found himself tossed into. Gachiakuta handles mature themes such as finding value in broken things, classism, battling injustice in the system, and social struggle.
6) Sakamoto Days
Sakamoto Days is a highly addictive, fast-paced action manga that interestingly features an older protagonist than the usual teenage shonen hero we’re all used to seeing. The manga first debuted in Shonen Jump in 2020, and has over 220 chapters with the story’s final arc drawing closer. Sakamoto Days also has an anime adaptation that was released in 2025, with the first season split into two parts (the latest airing in July 2025). If you’re a fan of action comedies with hitman-style fight sequences and everyday life blended into the plot, then this manga might be one for you to pick up.
In Sakamoto Days, our main character is Taro Sakamoto, a renowned, retired hitman who currently works at his self-owned convenience store. Though Taro wishes to leave his past behind, it comes knocking in the form of an ever-present stream of assassins, gang members, and underground affiliates looking for the world’s best hitman. To protect himself, his family, and his new life, Taro must rely on old skills to take out the growing threats as they try to invade the peaceful new beginning Taro has created for himself. Sakamoto Days is an awesome manga full of feel-good moments, intense fight scenes, and an emphasis on being able to start over at any age.
5) Dorohedoro
Dorohedoro is a prime example of a great manga series picking up traction years after its initial release. The series was first released in 2000, serialized in Spirits Zōkan Ikki (later renamed Monthly Ikki). The manga ended in 2018 and had a total of 167 chapters, or 23 collected volumes. Though the manga initially began 25 years ago, it wasn’t until 2020 that it was adapted into an anime series, with a second season set to premiere at some point in 2025. Dorohedoro is a dark seinen manga that combines fantasy, science fiction, and action genres in its plot. A standout feature is the writing, often acknowledged for its unique combination of dark humor and equally grim themes and plot lines.
Our protagonist in Dorohedoro is Kaiman, a man who was cursed to bear a grotesque lizard head in place of human features. Simultaneously, Kaiman suffers from amnesia, unable to recall who or what was responsible for his transformation into the animal-human hybrid he’s become. Searching for answers, Kaiman explores the Hole, a desolate city known for its violence, crime, and pollution levels, hoping to locate the mage who turned him into a monster. Dorohedoro deals with complex themes such as classism, social oppression, self-identity, the nature of memory, and alienation.
4) Black Torch
Black Torch is an amazingly good Shonen Jump series that started nearly a decade ago, first serialized in 2016. While the manga didn’t get the full recognition it deserved until recent years, the hype around Black Torch is finally picking up, with an anime adaptation set to release after the trailer dropped in 2025. The series features a total of 19 chapters and has only five volumes, due to an abrupt ending that cut the story short in 2018. That being said, definitely give it a read through because the character development and conceptual design are absolutely worth taking the time to experience for yourself.
The storyline of Black Torch is centered around Jirou Azuma, a descendant of an infamous ninja clan that has the ability to speak with animals. When Jirou is attacked by a demon, his pet cat is revealed to be a mononoke, a type of powerful demon that fuses with Jirou to sustain his life. As a result, Jirou gains supernatural abilities that attract the attention of the Bureau of Espionage to fight in an elite squad called the Black Torch. Here, Jirou must master his new ability while battling hostile spirits and demons with his new teammates. The story features plenty of complex characters, intriguing villains, and explores the ramifications of amassing power.
3) Ichi the Witch
Ichi the Witch is a fantastic manga series with gorgeous art, compelling characters, and in-depth world-building that fans love. The manga was first published in 2024, making it one of the newest series on this list, and has a total of 49 chapters released. While Ichi the Witch is recent enough not to have any set details or plans for an anime adaptation, fans of the manga are already clamoring for the announcement. Every panel is vibrant, detailed, and full of magical intrigue that makes the series stand out among other fantasy works in the genre.
The general plot of Ichi the Witch centers around our protagonist, Ichi, for whom the series is named. Ichi is an orphaned boy who has been forced to provide and protect himself, living in the mountains and hunting to survive. One day, Ichi stumbles across a conflict between the current strongest witch and an incredibly powerful Magik, the living embodiment of magic in this world. Deciding to step in, Ichi accidentally absorbs the Magik’s abilities, imbuing himself with incredible power and making Ichi the first male-witch in existence. Exploring Ichi’s journey to learn and master magic, Ichi the Witch also tackles themes like destiny, rejecting tradition, and gender norms.
2) Kaiju No. 8
Kaiju No. 8 is a manga series that has been gaining tons of acclaim in the past year. The first chapter of the manga dropped in 2020 and ended in July 2025 with a total of 129 chapters. In 2024, Kaiju No. 8 also gained an anime adaptation that had its second season debut last summer. Blending science fiction, fantasy, and adventure genres, the series is popular for its high-impact fight scenes that don’t detract from emotional complexity in the manga’s main character cast. Many would also say that the manga boasts one of the most intriguing, unconventional main characters seen in a new shonen series, making for a fun reading experience that isn’t bogged down by pre-existing character tropes.
The story of Kaiju No. 8 takes place in a futuristic society set in Japan, where monstrous Kaiju launch attacks on a frequent basis, held back only by humanity’s Defense Force. Kafka works as a monster cleaner, taking on the task of mopping up the destruction left behind by Kaiju, though he dreams of one day joining the Defense Force. His dreams are granted when a small, parasitic kaiju fuses with Kafka’s body, granting him the ability to shift into a Kaiju but retain his sense of self and awareness; more importantly, he’s finally able to join the Defense Force, though Kafka must keep his shifting hidden from the other members.
1) Kagurabachi
Kagurabachi was the hidden gem of the manga community for a bit until the series began to gain positive attention from readers. The manga was first released in 2023 and is currently at 93 chapters, with its story still ongoing. Additionally, the series has not yet been green-lit for an anime adaptation, though, really, it’s only a matter of time. Kagurabachi melds dark fantasy and action together to deliver a masterful story centered around revenge and the art of swordsmanship. It’s got impactful, stylized art, intensely driven action scenes, and a main character that is ruthless yet likable in his mission.
The plot of Kagurabachi revolves around Chihiro Rokuhira, the son of a famous swordsmith, Kunishige, renowned for his work. The Hishaku, a powerful group of sorcerers, murdered Chihiro’s father one day in order to steal the Enchanted Blades that Kunishinge crafted. Chihiro arms himself with the hidden seventh blade left behind and sets out to hunt down those responsible for his father’s death and reclaim the stolen blades to return to their rightful place. The manga dives deep into its revenge-cycle narrative and doesn’t shy away from violence or darkness, but still manages to reflect a theme of legacy and honor.
Have you read any of the manga on this list? Tell us what manga series you’d compare to Jujutsu Kaisen in the comments below.
